PERTH STEEL WOMEN GO UNDEFEATED TO CLAIM 2025 MAHINDRA AUSTRALIAN VOLLEYBALL SUPER LEAGUE TITLE
The Perth Steel Women have capped off a perfect season, going undefeated to claim the 2025 Mahindra Australian Volleyball Super League championship with a thrilling five-set victory over Adelaide Storm at South Pine Sports Complex on Sunday.
The result marks the Steel’s second women’s title in three years and a remarkable achievement for a group that displayed consistency, composure and resilience throughout the season.
Perth’s Caitlin Waterfall was named Most Valuable Player, recognising her outstanding performances and leadership across the campaign.
Perth Steel Women’s Captain Shelby Maher said the victory was a fitting reward for the team’s hard work.
“Yeah, it feels good. It was definitely a hard game and we were very uncomfortable, as you could see in a lot of the sets, but the girls just came through with the win,” Maher said.
“It’s pretty awesome to have our men’s team in the final as well. We see each other train every week and push each other, so it’s really exciting that we both got here.”
Perth Steel Women’s Coach Pauline Manser praised her team’s discipline and focus across the season.
“It’s amazing, very stressful but amazing to come through the season and be undefeated. That’s an impressive effort by the girls,” Manser said.
“We focused on the process, and as expected, every team was a challenge. If we could get close to our best, we knew we’d be okay.
“It’s always great for WA to come all this way and perform. We did this in 2023, and we’re glad to repeat it today.”
The Perth Steel Men also put in a strong showing, reaching their third consecutive Grand Final since 2023, unfortunately falling just short against the Queensland Pirates.
Steel Men’s Captain Daniel Piggott said he was proud of the group’s efforts.
“Pretty tough loss today. We have five different starting players compared to last season, so I am so proud of this group and it’s just the beginning for us,” Piggott said.
“A few people popped up that we kind of weren’t expecting, and we have a lot of people who have a lot of steel and I am so proud of them.”
Head Coach Rory Read said the result was another sign of the club’s strong culture and consistency.
“To make it to the last game for the third year in a row since the Super League has been running is a real achievement, especially with such a different-looking team coming together,” Read said.
“I give [Daniel] Piggott a lot of credit for how the team came together, he really is Captain Steel. He’s one of only two players who’ve been in all three grand finals, and the fact that we can keep coming back year after year and give ourselves a chance to win is something we should all be proud of.”
Having both Perth Steel teams reach the 2025 Grand Finals is a major milestone for Western Australian volleyball, highlighting the program’s growth and success on the national stage.
